State Rep. Randy Fine accused a number of people of anti-Semitism and being pro-Nazi after they questioned his introduction of a bill in the Florida Legislature blasting what's known as the “Boycott, Divestiture, and Sanctions” or BDS, movement.

The testy online exchange — which grew to include hundreds of comments — began Monday night and extended into early Tuesday morning on the Facebook page of a disabled Palm Bay veteran.

State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay

Provided

The heated give-and-take also brought in Palm Bay City Councilman Tres Holton, who appeared to threaten Donald Overton, Palm Bay’s former veterans’ affairs and business specialist, in a late-night text message.

Fine, a first-term Republican whose district covers Palm Bay, recently introduced a bill calling for a "zero-tolerance policy" for Florida governments doing business with companies supporting the BDS movement.

State Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, filed a companion bill to Fine's. Current law allows municipalities to do up to $1 million of business each year with they call “anti-Israel companies.” The Fine and Brandes measures would bar cities from doing any business with such companies.

Fine, believed to be the only Jewish GOP member in the Florida Legislature, said in a statement that "BDS is the latest incarnation of anti-Israel sentiment that goes back since the formation of the Jewish state. To oppose the state of Israel is to oppose Judeo-Christian values.”

BDS and its supporters want a boycott because of Israel because of that country’s actions in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and what it means for Palestinian people. Those against the BDS movement often view it as anti-Semitic, and a thinly veiled way to attack Israel.

Sparking the online argument Monday was Daren Gerrish of Palm Bay, a U.S. Army veteran who served two tours in Afghanistan and was honorably discharged in 2010 as a sergeant. He tagged Fine on a Facebook post with questions concerning the lawmaker's bill and asked if Fine's religion played a role in his proposed legislation.

"I wanted to know if there was any inherent bias as it related to his heritage, and what information he could tell me about the bill and the issues so I could learn more about it and form an opinion," Gerrish told FLORIDA TODAY. "I never took a stance, nor did I agree or disagree with anything he did, until he blocked me (on his official page) and justified it as 'anti-Semitism'."

Fine stood by his Facebook comments, pointing out that Gerrish's mother told him to "go back to Israel" during the online argument.

"A constituent said, 'Are you filing this bill because of your personal bias and your instructions from Israel?' Questions like that weren't appropriate in the 1960s when they were asked of John F. Kennedy. And questions like that aren't appropriate today," Fine said.

"I don't mind calling an anti-Semite an anti-Semite," Fine said, adding "Regarding the phrase 'go back to Israel,' I think people have made phrases like that about ethnic groups. It’s generally not considered acceptable.”

Both Gerrish and Overton strongly deny making any anti-Semitic statements.

Overton served as Palm Bay’s former veterans’ affairs and business specialist until the county funding for the city position was eliminated and Overton resigned. He joined the Facebook argument when he posted a link to a news story about Fine's "patriotic society" House Bill 95, which would require school districts to let Boy Scout and Girl Scout representatives speak to students.

Overton now is community outreach/veterans affairs manager with the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation in Connecticut.

"It was a sad state of affairs," Overton said. "For any elected politician to begin going after not just constituents, but veterans and disabled veterans — several of whom I have intimate knowledge of that have served honorably — and to begin labeling them just because they were asking questions of policy stance was rather disconcerting," Overton said.

Overton added: "It's really unfortunate to see an elected official behave this way. It's just sad. And it's somewhat deplorable."

Holton, who sided with Fine, said he eventually joined conversation because he said his name was being tossed around in the discussion.

Holton at one point sent Gerrish a personal message referencing Overton. Gerrish provided a screen shot of the message to FLORIDA TODAY.

"One chance, that is all. Stop the lies or your friend Don goes down," Holton messaged Gerrish at 12:39 a.m. Tuesday. "..this is about to get real bad for liars and government cheats, (act) accordingly."

"I was disgusted with some of the anti-Semitic comments and/or sympathizing with anti-Semitism on Gerrish's Facebook," Holton told FLORIDA TODAY. " Moreover, there were lies being spread about good people and our great community, and I will defend my residents, friends and city."

"Like racism, anti-Semitism has no place in our community," Holton said. "If you are a racist, anti-Semite or sympathizer, or a liar, I will say it straight and call you out. I am forgiving and patient, but they were out of line."

Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com.

Contact Price at 3210242-3658 or wprice@floridatoday.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Fla2dayBiz.